Janis Sharp, the mother of UFO hacker Gary McKinnon, is writing a book about her 10 year plight to keep her son from being extradited to the United States to spend the rest of his life in prison for hacking into government computers. An attorney for the US called it the biggest military hack of all time.

The opposition to the attempts by the United States to extradite McKinnon began with a whisper that turned into a roar, largely led by Sharp.

McKinnon was first arrested and questioned in March of 2002. After watching a panel of witnesses brought to the National Press Club in Washington D.C. in 2001 who all claimed to have knowledge of a cover-up regarding what the government knows about UFOs, McKinnon was convinced the US government knew more than it was sharing. He took it upon himself to hack into government computers to find hidden evidence.

He says he found a photograph that showed a large cigar-shaped UFO over the “northern hemisphere.” He also saw a ship’s log that listed non-terrestrial officers. This was evidence to McKinnon that the US had its own space fleet. Unfortunately, McKinnon was not able to download any of this alleged evidence.

When he was arrested in March 2002 McKinnon was offered the chance to serve a three or four year sentence, but he felt his UFO evidence was strong enough to negotiate a better deal. The US did not feel the same, and instead in November of 2004 the US federal grand jury charged him with seven counts of computer-related crimes that carried a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count.

McKinnon with mother Janis Sharp (credit: FreeGary.org)

At this point, a seemingly never ending string of appeals began. For the next four years appeals to keep McKinnon from being extradited failed. It was looking pretty grim for McKinnon, but several things turned the tides. First, in 2008 McKinnon was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. Some studies have indicated that people suffering from Asperger’s have higher rates of suicide, and Sharp contended that she feared McKinnon would kill himself if he had to serve time in a US prison.

At first McKinnon’s condition did not help his case. The Home Secretary rejected a request to stop his extradition based off of his diagnosis of Asperger’s. The European Court of Human Rights also refused an application for a stay of the extradition.

2009 was when things began to look up for McKinnon. His lawyer was granted permission to review the decision of the Home Secretary. During this time the news picked up on the story with frequent interviews of Sharp. Celebrities also began to support McKinnon’s cause. The topic of the extradition agreement between the US and Britain also became a hot topic, with many feeling it was too heavily biased towards the US.

In the fervor, then Tory leader David Cameron, jumped in to support a review of extradition laws and said McKinnon is “a vulnerable young man and I see no compassion in sending him thousands of miles away from his home and loved ones to face trial.”

When Cameron became Prime Minister the conversation was brought to a new level. It now became a topic in conversation between Cameron and President Obama. Sharp called for Cameron to make good on his promises to support McKinnon. The Wikileaks also played a role, as they had shown that the previous Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, had requested that the US allow McKinnon to be tried in the UK. The US refused.

Finally, with mounting public pressure, Cameron and Obama agreed to review the extradition laws, and Obama said he would leave it to the British government to come up with a “just conclusion” in regards to McKinnon. In October 2012 the Home Secretary decided that McKinnon would not be extradited, and in December the Crown Prosecution Service announced that McKinnon would not be charged with any crimes. McKinnon and Sharp had finally won.

McKinnon and Sharp soon after the news that the extradition was stopped. (Credit: The Telegraph)

This overview does not do Sharp’s role in this incredible saga justice. The publishers for her new book write, “The US judiciary had all the might of the world’s greatest power. But it had not reckoned on Gary’s mother.” The book, Saving Gary McKinnon: A Mother’s Story, will be released next week on September 17, 2013. You can pre-order a copy at the publisher’s website.

]]>http://www.openminds.tv/ufo-hackers-mother-writes-book-on-10-year-battle-with-us-1142/23742/feed2Date set for UFO hacker Gary McKinnon’s extradition rulinghttp://www.openminds.tv/date-set-for-ufo-hacker-gary-mckinnons-extradition-ruling-838/16882
http://www.openminds.tv/date-set-for-ufo-hacker-gary-mckinnons-extradition-ruling-838/16882#commentsThu, 06 Sep 2012 15:49:54 +0000http://www.openminds.tv/?p=16882A date has been set for UK home secretary Theresa May to make her ruling on whether or not UFO hacker Gary McKinnon will be extradited to the United States.

McKinnon with mother Janis Sharp (credit: FreeGary.org)

The BBC reports that the extradition ruling will be made by October 16. Back in July, home secretary May announced that she would delay her decision until October. McKinnon’s mother Janis Sharp pleaded for compassion and asked for an earlier decision. But May declined the request because, as the Metro reported, she had an “important role in the London 2012 Olympics.” Sharp blasted May, stating that May “could have made a decision before the Olympics. The evidence is there that Gary is unfit for trial and a considerable suicide risk. We need this decision. This delay is wrong – morally wrong.”

Experts have concluded that McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, may take his own life if extradited to the U.S.

McKinnon hacked into NASA and U.S. military computers in 2001 and 2002 in search of UFO evidence. If extradited and convicted, he could face up to sixty years in prison.

It appears that Scottish UFO hacker Gary McKinnon may have regained some hope in his fight to avoid extradition to the United States. During a joint press conference today with Britain’s prime minister David Cameron and U.S. president Barack Obama, ITV News Political Editor Tom Bradby asked the President and the Prime Minister about the McKinnon case. According to ITV News, the President responded that the issue is “in the hands of the British legal system.”

In response to this news, Janis Sharp, McKinnon’s mother, posted the following message to her Twitter account: “Obama said on TV with Cameron, Happy to let UK make extradition decision and U.S will abide by it. #FreeGary.”

McKinnon and Sharp had their hopes raised last year when Obama stated that the U.S. would find an “appropriate solution” to the situation. But just two weeks ago, those hopes were crushed when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder vowed to take all necessary steps to extradite McKinnon. Following today’s developments, however, there is renewed hope that McKinnon will be allowed to remain in the UK.

McKinnon is accused of hacking into U.S. federal and military computers, perpatrating the “biggest military computer hack of all time.” McKinnon says he was looking for evidence of UFOs.

]]>http://www.openminds.tv/new-hope-for-ufo-hacker-mckinnon-692/9859/feed0Another chance for Gary McKinnonhttp://www.openminds.tv/another-chance-for-gary-mckinnon-554/6796
http://www.openminds.tv/another-chance-for-gary-mckinnon-554/6796#commentsMon, 29 Nov 2010 18:11:56 +0000http://www.openminds.tv/?p=6796Computer hacker Gary McKinnon will get another chance to avoid extradition from the UK to the United States this week when the UK Parliament’s Home Affairs Select Committee considers his case.

The US sought extradition in 2003 after catching McKinnon hacking into government computers in 2001. The UK government began reviewing its extradition law back in September, following a large number of complaints from its citizens. While extraditions will not be frozen while the committee reviews the law, McKinnon’s extradition has been on hold since May, when Teresa May, Home Secretary, agreed to consider the possibility that, because McKinnon suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, his poor mental health may be sufficient to prevent his extradition to the US.